In the Big Spring mayoral race, two candidates — local business owner Larry McLellan and Roger Rodman — are going head to head for the seat.

The race previously included a third candidate — former councilman Manuel Ramirez Jr. — who withdrew from the race to avoid a nepotism conflict with a relative wishing to serve with the Big Spring Police Department.

According to Howard County Elections Administrator Saundra Bloom, Ramirez's withdrawal came too late to have his name removed from the ballot.

“Unfortunately, his announcement he was withdrawing from the race came after the deadline, so his name does appear on the ballot,” Bloom said. “And, because the software programming had already been completed by that time, there isn't any notification on the ballot that he has withdrawn. Voters are able to cast their vote for him, the same as the other two candidates.”

Also up for election in Big Spring is the District 5 seat on the city council. Three candidates — Clint Collins, Raul Benavides and J.D. Smith — are vying for the position.

The city council race in Forsan drew a pair of challengers, as three at-large seats are up for grabs in the election. Incumbents Raymond Holguin, Fred Holguin and Mary Gressett are seeking re-election, while challengers Rick Ebert and Tracy Carey look to unseat two of the incumbents.

Three trustee races and a construction bond vote highlight area school district elections Saturday.
Voters in the Coahoma, Forsan and Sands school districts will cast ballots in trustee races, while Forsan ISD residents also will decide the fate of a multi-million bond issue.

At Coahoma Independent School District, incumbents Michael Brooks and Craig Ferguson and challenger Rory Gammons, a dispatcher with the Howard County Sheriff's Office, are vying for two at-large seats up for election this year, Administration Secretary Judy Dobbs said.

Incumbents Tom Bill Kuykendall and Chris Evans are seeking another term on the Forsan ISD board. They and challengers Joanne Sayles and Todd Still are constesting the two at-large seats up for election, Superintendent's Secretary Judy Park said.

Forsan voters are also being asked to decide whether to approve a $23.8 million bond which would finance construction of a new building to replace Elbow Elementary and extensive renovations at the junior high/high school campus.

School districts in Big Spring and Stanton cancelled their elections after no challengers emerged in the races.